In regards to a career as a quant, the top firms may focus on "young geniuses" but there will be plenty of places where your profile would be just fine. It's a broad industry!
That's good to hear! if you could share more info about it I'm all ears
Readit Newsmareoclasico commented on Ask HN: What to do with a pure mathematics degree? · Posted by u/mareoclasico
mareoclasico commented on Ask HN: What to do with a pure mathematics degree? · Posted by u/mareoclasico
If you do the job that the employer wants, does it matter you are 27 or 77?!
They get what they want.
I'm afraid ageism is a thing, and I'm on the wrong side of it haha
mareoclasico commented on Ask HN: What to do with a pure mathematics degree? · Posted by u/mareoclasico
Network and see what you are interested. If you can grind through pure Math you can take any entry level CS job. It's just a matter of knowing the right person at the right time.
In a way that's what I'm trying to do here, getting some info from people that were in my situation or know people in my situation.
mareoclasico commented on Ask HN: What to do with a pure mathematics degree? · Posted by u/mareoclasico
According to the pure math graduate I know, job prospects are not good. Teaching is what is available, but then you also must have some experience in pedagogy and education.
Yeah I'm trying to stay clear from education, that's why I'm trying to figure out what options I do have after finishing.
mareoclasico commented on Ask HN: What to do with a pure mathematics degree? · Posted by u/mareoclasico
FWIW, the pure math and physics folks I know usually pick up programming very quickly and I've found that generally they're very strong at it.
Yeah, already touched the usual stuff: C++, Python, R...
But the question is what to do with that! haha
mareoclasico commented on Ask HN: What to do with a pure mathematics degree? · Posted by u/mareoclasico
Description fits requirements to take certification exams for actuary work.
Oh I thought those exams were a thing in the US, but not here in Europe. I'll do my research. Thank you!
mareoclasico commented on Ask HN: What to do with a pure mathematics degree? · Posted by u/mareoclasico
> get the impression that I need some graduate program after my degree in order to pick up programming
You don’t have to do that. Check out free resources like cs50x and freecodecamp
Yeah of course! but I meant learning a bit of programming on top of AI research or Quant analysis or something like that. And I guess having the degree doesn't hurt.
mareoclasico commented on Ask HN: What to do with a pure mathematics degree? · Posted by u/mareoclasico
I know companies that hire people that ”only” do mechanical. They don’t do any programming. Maybe some very basic scripting some of them. Just apply for jobs and see what is out there. You will never know everything there is to know anyway.
I'm not opposed to learning programming btw! it's just that I'm very lost on what's out there and wanted to know possible industries/jobs that I might not be aware of.
mareoclasico commented on Ask HN: What to do with a pure mathematics degree? · Posted by u/mareoclasico
I am in the gambling industry. Online casinos often look for game mathematicians and sometimes even sportsbooks need mathematicians for price modelling.
www.pentasia.com www.bettingjobs.com etc.
Super interesting. Thanks a lot. Is it difficult to break into the industry? What kind of skills are they mostly looking for?
For what it's worth: I ended up going the quant/finance route (as a "regular guy" with no meaningful accomplishments). If I could start over I would try to do something involving data analysis and biology. I think RNA sequencing is on an exp(-a*t) cost curve, and it feels like this is a domain where data analysis could produce something of greater value than slightly more efficient asset prices.
I'm a bit afraid, like a bunch of people I guess, of AI eating all those data analyis/science jobs. But that field sounds definitely interesting.